Kroger, Albertsons Merger Delayed, Washinton AG Sues to Stop Deal

The Kroger Company and Albertsons Companies, Inc. have been working on completing their merger deal. However, it was disclosed this week that the negotiation is delayed, and the process to close the contract will take more time than expected as scrutiny continues.

According to CNBC, with the confirmed delay, Kroger and Albertsons' acquisition deal may be completed within the first half of 2024 instead of the original plan of the early months of this year. It was said that the ongoing talks with federal regulators are causing the delay of the merger.

Kroger and Albertsons Remain Committed to Closing the Deal

Amid the delay, Kroger and Albertsons revealed they will keep pushing as they are committed to reaching the end and completing the transaction. They added that they would stick to their promise of providing unmatched benefits, which they first announced at the start of the transaction.

"We remain in active and ongoing dialogue with the Federal Trade Commission and individual state Attorneys General regarding our proposed merger and divestiture plan," Kroger said in a statement. "We believe our merger with Albertsons and the comprehensive divestiture to C&S will result in the best outcomes for customers, associates and our communities."

It added, "In light of our continuing dialogue with the regulators, we are updating our anticipated closure timeline. We currently anticipate that the closing will occur in the first half of Kroger's fiscal 2024. While this is longer than we originally thought, we knew it was a possibility and our merger agreement and divestiture plan accounted for such potential timing."

Washington AG Files Legal Case to Block the Merger

NPR reported that Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson took Kroger and Albertsons to court on Monday, Jan. 15, to stop the deal that will unite the two leading supermarket chains in the U.S. He is requesting a permanent injunction from the court.

In the suit, the attorney general said the deal worth $24.6 billion would certainly alter the competition in the retail and food sector. Being the biggest supermarket chain brands, their combination will eliminate a rivalry that keeps food prices in check.

Photo by: Mike Kalasnik/Flickr(CC BY-SA 2.0)